Oamaru Stone Bird Bath

The Goddess Of Flora

This bird bath was created as a public sculpture for the people of Packe Street Park. The park is handled by a small local community of volunteers with the aim of growing fruit, vegetables and herbs plus creating an environment to have small concerts and festivals. It is also a park for adults to relax as well as a place for children to play in.

The Sculpture

I was invited to submit a design concept for a public sculpture, something that connected with the community, the earth, the trees and the birds. I submitted a sketch of a female guardian figure. (The Goddess of Flora).

I wanted something that was graceful and peaceful. I designed a young woman with long flowing hair kneeling among the plants. She gathers her hair into a shape of a bowl and places her hand in front and cups them so as to hold seed. This would draw the birds in to use bowl.

This project was an amazing experience. From the very beginning people loved the concept and looked forward to the unveiling. As I worked on site I was well looked after by people who brought hot drinks and lunch. Many other visitors came to see how the sculpture was progressing. This artwork was completed many years ago and it was my first of many commissioned projects.

The Unveiling

On the night of the unveiling there was a lot of anticipation with many people coming to view the finished piece. The scene was set with bamboo flamed torches setting a nice backdrop for the sculpture. There were many speeches and then with an airy sound of the tune (Irish Boy by Mark Knopfler) playing in the distance. The Goddess Of Flora was unveiled.